


Requested Malec Ficlets

by symphonic__chaos



Series: Requested Ficlets [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Absent Parents, Bottom Magnus Bane, Date Nights, Ficlets, Fluff, M/M, Near fight, Top Alec Lightwood, fic requests, implied sex, protective parents Alec and Magnus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:56:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22191418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/symphonic__chaos/pseuds/symphonic__chaos
Summary: A series of ficlets requested by friends and followers over at my blog.Still accepting more!(open in browser, link to specific post will not open on Tumblr app)
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Requested Ficlets [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1597411
Comments: 4
Kudos: 43





	1. 18. That was kind of hot

"What do you mean, it got away?" The head of the group from the LA Institute snapped.  
  


"I mean, it got away. _Ran_. Didn't stay to have coffee. Generally what ' _it got away_ ' means." A sigh accompanied the words as Magnus leaned back against the wall behind him, the entire situation wholly the other man's fault.  
  


"Look, could we just..." Alec sounded tired, irritated. His headache had grown exponentially larger the minute the group, all six of them, announced they were tagging along in the hunt for the du'sien demon.   
  


"Well maybe if your oh-so-great magic was any better, we wouldn't have lost it. Some warlock you are, second-rate at best, I don't even know why they allow you here, much less in Alicante."  
  


_"SECOND_ RATE?!" Magnus snapped back as he pushed off the wall, his back straight, shoulders squared and chin up, a difference from the lax, carefree form he'd previously had. He'd been challenged the entire mission and he'd truly had it to the brim with the arrogant bastard in front of him. "SECOND RATE! PLEASE, TELL ME MORE HOW SECOND RATE I AM WHILE A MEMBER OF YOUR TEAM IS IN THE INFIRMARY RIGHT NOW, HER ARM COVERED IN SO MUCH ICHOR YOUR RUNES COULDN'T PROTECT HER! WHO'S SECOND RATE MAGIC IS PROTECTING IT FROM FALLING OFF WHILE THEY CLEAN HER?"  
  


Things had come to a halt in the Institute as many of the Shadowhunters around them stopped what they were doing to look at the normally semi-quiet Magnus, towering over the LA head, red magic sparking around his fingers. The two were nearly chest to chest, both glowering at each other.   
  


"Alright, enough." Alec warned as he pushed off of the table he'd been leaning on, forcing himself between the two as the LA head tried to intimidate Magnus with a step forward. "ENOUGH, Lucas." He repeated to the man as his hand planted on his chest to move him back.  
  


"No, I'm sick of you all protecting him. For what? A mediocre lay?" Lucas laughed into Alec's face, which was no doubt his last mistake.  
  


Alec's fist collided with Lucas's stomach before Magnus could catch his elbow, causing the man to double over in pain. Magnus had seen Alec activate his stamina rune while they were out, so he could imagine just how good that felt to Lucas. Three of the four in the group rushed forward to stand between them, a blonde female moving to help Lucas back and keep him away.  
  


"Get out of my Institute, now." Alec snarled, his finger pointed back at the door down the hall.   
  


"Your Institute? Last I checked, that was Isabelle." Lucas scoffed as he straightened up with a wince.  
  


"And in her absence, I'm here in her place. Now get the fuck out before I send you to Alicante for blatantly defying my orders earlier and causing us to not only lose our target, but cause injury to one of your team."  
  


Lucas's eyes narrowed as he resisted the blonde pulling his arm to lead him away, but soon the others on the team had been spooked enough by the warning to help her in getting him to retreat. They headed in the direction of the infirmary, Lucas's steps heavy as he muttered what Magnus could only imagine were swears and insults along the way.  
  


"I need to do a report." Alec grumbled, his temper still flaring as he watched the group walk away. A glance was given briefly to Magnus as he turned on his heel and went down the opposite hallway to the office Izzy had cleared out for when Alec visited and worked from the Institute.  
  


Magnus stood there for a moment, watching him retreat, only to turn his attention to the others that were still watching.   
  


"I'm...sorry, for shouting." He said as he lifted a hand to straighten his best, adjusting the shirt beneath it.  
  


"No, you aren't," Underhill said with an amused grin on his face, his shoulder lifting in a shrug. "You didn't say anything wrong, and someone had to put him in his place. He pisses us all off whenever he comes here. Big homophobe, big ego--"  
  


"Tiny dick, I bet." Another Shadowhunter chimed in and, despite his efforts, Magnus couldn't stop the laugh that followed.   
  


\--  
  


"Magnus, I'm sorry if I undermined you by getting between you both." Alec started as he stood from the desk, moving around to greet Magnus as he entered the office. He'd taken his jacket off and the tie hung loose around his neck, the first two buttons of his shirt undone in a feeble attempt to cool himself off after his anger made his temperature flare.  
  


Magnus had taken time to reflect everything once he'd left Underhill and the others, gone to the infirmary to help them with the wounds that the Shadowhunter had received on the field and this... This was not what he expected to come back to. Cat eyes raked over Alec's body, unashamed in his obvious ways as his fingers curled just the slightest and the lock to the office door clicked quietly.  
  


' _Oh yes_ ,' Magnus thought.  
  


"No, that was...actually kind of hot." Magnus said breathlessly as he stared at his husband and Alec was caught off guard by the faintest tint of pink that kissed Magnus's tan skin. It wasn't often he could make the normally unabashed warlock blush, and between everything earlier, their time alone to do a hunt together interrupted and the sudden protection he felt over Magnus added to the way he looked...  
  


' _Oh no_ ,' Alec thought.  
  


It was less than a second before he had Magnus against the desk, his lips colliding with the warlock's as his hands searched out the warm skin hidden away by three unnecessary layers. Button down, vest, coat, there- and Magnus's hands were already at his shoulders, his neck, buried in his hair, curling and giving a slow but firm pull at the base of his skull, causing the Shadowhunter to groan into the kiss.  
  


**Oh yes**.


	2. 8. This isn't what I wanted & 11. Wow, you look amazing

Alec was ready to take Magnus on another date. He'd been ready for exactly one week, two days, fourteen hours and six minutes since he'd sent the text asking him if he'd like to go to dinner once he was back from a job he was doing in London.   
  


They'd been together for months and to say he was craving Magnus sounded almost too desperate in a way, but he was beginning to think that he may have been going a little crazy at that point. Alec had gotten far too used to seeing the warlock almost every day, touching him in some way, seeing the light in his eyes whenever the door opened, watching the smile creep across his face whenever they'd hold hands, the pride in his face whenever he'd help someone with his magic... ' _Infatuated and that's okay_ ,' Maryse had called it.  
  


When Alec returned to his room, he noticed a box on his bed and with a click of the lock on his door, he'd moved to the bed and checked the label, confirming it was from the online store he'd asked Izzy to order him a shirt from. While he was fine doing his own shopping, a job had kept him busy for a majority of the week and with her finishing hers early, she had a little more free time and had offered. Taking a small knife from his boot, he opened the box and opened it, excitement for the date beginning to build up again as he moved the packing and took out the plastic bag housing the shirt.  
  


The deep red shirt. 

' _This isn't what I wanted?????????????? The receipt even says red, not black_.'  
  


Alec's phone made a swish noise as it sent the text, the phone tossed aside as he turned the shirt in his hands. It was definitely the one he wanted, just a very wrong color. A sigh heaved from his chest as that earlier excitement depleted, he knew he wouldn't have time to exchange it and get a new one before the date the next night.   
  


**_Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock_**.  
  


Alec moved to the door and opened it, finding his sister on the other side, who then barged in without asking and planted herself on his bed.   
  


"Come on in?" Alec said, confused, then shut the door again.  
  


"A little bit of color wouldn't kill you, Alec. You literally wear black all the time and you go out with someone who wears a multitude of colors and looks amazing. Magnus isn't the only one who looks great in color. Remember that time you wore white? You know, the wedding? You looked great. That blue shirt mom got you, to her birthday dinner? And red will look great on you, too. Can't hurt to try, right?"  
  


Alec raised a brow at the speech and looked from Izzy to the shirt, then back to her when he heard plastic rustling. He opened his mouth to protest her eating the cheese stick she had seemingly acquired out of nowhere on his bed, but he knew it wouldn't stop her. Izzy gave him an expectent look and nodded at the shirt, saying with a full mouth of cheese strands,  
  


"Try it."  
  


\--  
  


Magnus hurried through the portal and into his apartment, an echoed string of ' _shit, shit, shit, shit_ ' following him as if the portal was mocking him until it shut. With a single snap and wave of his hand, his body was cleaned up and his hair done up, and with a fling of his other hand, the suitcase he carried was flung into his bedroom. A cringe was to follow as he heard a dull thud and the crash of it bouncing off the side of his bed and to the floor, rather than on it like he'd been aiming for.  
  


"Hi Chairman, hi Church," he said breathlessly to the two that watched him, one excitedly and the other looking like it had been him that had been thrown, not the suitcase.   
  


Magnus's hands soothed over Church as if that would make him feel better which, surprisingly, the cat seemed pretty happy about the attention for once. Jem had stopped by daily to visit and Magnus knew full well that Church would have left with him if he could have. Maybe Jem had had a talk with him.  
  


Chairman shoved against Magnus's hand, rudely pushing himself in front of Church and getting a heavy huff in response from the larger cat, who then turned and walked away from the both of them.  
  


"Yes, hello, I missed you too. I'm sorry I'm late, Alec is going to be here any minute so I'll need to feed you both fast." Magnus said as he planted a kiss to the top of the small cats head once he lifted him onto the counter. His steps were hurried as he went to the food, but the knock on the door had him nearly tripping over his feet. Another wave had their food bowls full and the water bowl exchanged for fresh water, no time to do things manually now.   
  


That was when he realized his hands were shaking.  
  


_Breathe, Magnus_.  
  


Thoughts ran through his mind as he moved to the door, not wanting to magic it open like he'd been doing for everything else. It had been six days too long from what he deemed acceptable for seeing Alec and now it was time again to see that face he adored so much. He finally got to hold his hands and touch his cheeks, finally he could kiss the lips he missed so much. So much energy had been put into the work he was doing that he hadn't had time to even make a portal to go back home just to say hi, not to mention he knew if he did, his focus would have been lost and he never would have wanted to leave.  
  


_Focus_.  
  


Magnus's breath was stolen from him as he opened the door, his eyes taking in Alec's face first, a twinge of pain aching in his heart as he realized just how much he missed his archer boy.   
  


"Wow, you look amazing," he forced out, still unable to catch his breath, as he noticed the black slacks, jacket, and red button down shirt. Alec had really dressed up for him and Magnus was both surprised and impressed.   
  


Alec didn't reply, feeling that same caged feeling he had at the wedding that left him unable to form any words in his mind. His body did the talking for him, almost lurching forward as his hands moved up to cup Magnus's face, his lips meeting equally eager ones. Alec could feel Magnus's fingers curling into his sides as they kissed, Magnus's poise and elegance left behind as he stumbled back, letting his guard down so much that the grace everyone knew had been replaced by something that was so willingly vulnerable to mistakes.  
  


"I missed you terribly, Alexander," Magnus whispered after a deep inhale, his body finally remembering how to breathe.   
  


Alec's forehead leaned against Magnus's as he closed his eyes, taking in his scent, the feeling of his skin, remembering that warmth that his body ached for.   
  


"I missed you, too, Magnus." Alec whispered back, his arms shifting to hug the other man, who didn't seem to mind at all.  
  


The two embraced for a long moment, neither wanting to pull away, but soon Alec forced himself to and smiled to Magnus, his hands finding the ringed ones.  
  


"We're going to be late for our reservation, I got one at that place you love."  
  


"Late? What is that? I'm never late." Magnus chuckled, a portal forming behind him. 


	3. #44. Is that my shirt?

It was their second time together, the second night Alec could feel the warm skin of Magnus's back against his chest, the second night Magnus could, if he listened careful enough with a bit of magic, hear Alec's heartbeat. It was the second shower together, the second time they could link fingers for longer than a couple minutes before someone interrupted them whether by call or barging into Magnus's apartment.

The second morning that Magnus woke to the quiet sound of something sizzling, not bagels and sausage this time, now he was smelling bacon and eggs floating through the air from his open bedroom door. The gold silk shifted under him as he sat up and stretched, looking at the clothes scattered across the floor from where they'd carelessly thrown them the night before, his fingers reaching out to tug Alec's t-shirt off of the lamp beside him.

"Is that my shirt?" Alec inquired as he carefully moved over the bed and settled behind Magnus at the edge, handing him a fresh cup of coffee once Magnus finished the last button. The small, fond smile on Alec's face as he glanced back told Magnus that he wasn't upset, so the warlock settled comfortably back against Alec as he sipped carefully from the mug.

"It is, do I look good?" Magnus's voice was soft, still raspy from both sleep and their night before.

"You look beautiful," Alec crooned as he pressed a soft kiss to Magnus's cheek, his lips lingering against the smooth skin as his arms wound around his boyfriend.

The trilled mew came soft from their right, Chairman Meow padding up beside them to rub his face against Magnus's elbow and partially against Alec's arm. The purr was quick to follow and Magnus closed his eyes, leaning into the affectionate touch of Alec's lips until they moved up, slowly, to his temple, resting there until Alec's forehead replaced them.

"Last night was nice." Alec said softly after a long pause to enjoy the comfortable silence they'd both found with each other and Chairman's purring.

"It was, wasn't it?" Magnus whispered, one warm hand lowering from the coffee mug to gently run along Church's tail as he felt the fluffy grump-monster rub against his leg in a rare affectionate action. "It was nice to not have someone banging on the door or calling you relentlessly. No attacks or emergencies... Just you and I."

Alec's fingers were traveling over an exposed thigh now, featherlight in their touch as he traced along one, two, three, four small circle bruises left from a firm grip he'd had the night before. They looked beautiful against Magnus's skin solely for the fact that he'd been the one to leave them in such an intimate moment between the two when both their guards had finally been let down. He wondered if the bite mark on his shoulder had bruised as nicely, no doubt more visible on his pale skin. He inhaled deep through his nose as he forced himself to stop thinking about last night- they had breakfast waiting.

"I want more nights like that, not even just the sex, just... Us. We can go on a date, or travel somewhere." Alec's fingers found the soft tuft of fur under Chairman's chin as the cats paws rested on his own thigh, the cat leaning heavily on him as he moved into the scritching.

"The sex is a bonus," Magnus added after another sip of the coffee, lowering it to his lap and tilting his head back against Alec's shoulder. Alec's eyes traced over the fading marks from where he'd bitten and nipped along the skin that had been exposed so perfectly whenever Magnus would throw his head back in ecstacy.

"A bonus that we don't get to have very often, but that just makes it so much better when we do."

Magnus nodded at Alec's words and made a soft sound of approval when Alec's fingers laced with his own, giving them a slow and firm squeeze. His stomach grumbled suddenly, interrupting the serene moment and causing Alec to grin.

"We should go eat, I think you're hungry."

"Oh, you think?" Magnus teased and squeezed Alec's hand once more before begrudgingly pulling himself away from the warmth that was Alec's lean body. "Lead the way, Mr. Lightwood. It smells amazing out there."

Alec watched Magnus's body move away and couldn't help but smile, his feet soon shuffling as he stood and moved towards the lithe figure in front of him, lips planting in a brief kiss against Magnus's collarbone, a dark hickey already occupying the space.

"Hopefully it tastes as good, I tried something from that book you have in the kitchen."

"Oh did you? Experimenting, I see. Hopefully you're not like Izzy when she experiments and we don't die..."

"Hey! Shut up!"

"Make me~" Magnus mused amidst Alec's laughter as the two moved hand in hand into the kitchen to enjoy the rest of their day together.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Request:  
> Hey, I have a Malec prompt. So what if one day Max’s birth mother comes back and makes some fake story about how she was forced to give him by some demon and wants her baby back and Malec are devastated because it’s their blueberry and they can’t cut out their heart. And like some days emo days in the family, also rafe beinf 100% ‘no HES mine’, he’s a LIGHTWOOD BANE. (Also maybe a part where max agrees to go with her because someone’s blackmailing him that they’ll hurt his fam. Max is about 5yrs

It was Max's fifth birthday and Magnus was busy holding the chair for Alec as he put up the streamers along the wall. It was totally feasible for Magnus to do it with a simple wave of his hand and a little magic to set the streamers in place, but this way came with a nice view.  
  
"Magnus!"  
  
The warlocks mind snapped to as he hummed in question, his eyes focusing on Alec's face instead, the one looking down at him in both amusement and disbelief. They trailed down as the Shadowhunter wiggled his hand a bit, the empty tape roll rattling in the container.  
  
"We need more tape. Were you staring at my ass?"  
  
"No, not at all, Alexander. Why would I? It's not like it looks like it was sculpted by the skillful hands of Michaelangelo, a grace of the Gods to me, a lowly plebian. You haven't been doing weighted squats at the gym, no, absolutely not. You know, the pants you wear don't only accentuate your front, but the ba-"  
  
"Tape, Magnus." Alec interjected, rolling his eyes as he offered the empty container again.  
  
A grin broke the neutral line of his mouth, 'bitch face' as Izzy called it, as Magnus grumbled over his poetic 'Ode to Alec's ass', stopped in its tracks. It was his turn next though, as Magnus walked away. Alec's eyes swept over the tall, lithe figure of his husband as a wistful sigh passed parted lips, shifting right as a movement caught his attention, Max giggling in delight as Rafe chased him through the hallway. Alec had made it Rafe's job to distract the small blue one, to keep him out of the living room until the party started, and he knew it was a job the boy would take seriously and do well.  
  
"Tape, good sir." Magnus announced, giving a bow as his hand offered up the now full container with a flourish. His smile was bright when he straightened, Alec's laugh amused at his playful antics.  
  
A knock at the front caught their attention and Magnus gave a soft pat to Alec's rear with a playful wink to accompany it as he stepped away to answer the door. The bright smile remained on Magnus's face as he opened the door, only faltering the slightest bit when he saw a nervous woman on the other side. Her dark hair was frizzed and curled at the end, her eyes equally as dark and shifting from the door to the hallway where she'd come off the elevator and soon to Magnus. Seeing her go pale when she looked at him had Magnus's smile become forced. The hand hidden behind the door curled immediately as he did the quietest snap he could, a wall and ward forming and blocking off the hallway to the kids' rooms where they were currently playing.  
  
"Can I help you, miss?" Magnus asked as pleasantly as he could, though the tiny hairs on his body were standing on end, getting the worst energy off of the nervous woman in front of him.  
  
"I... I'm...Um... Are you Magnus Bane?" She finally managed, her fingers curling and tugging at the hem of her rumpled shirt, which looked like it had seen better days. She didn't look dirty or unkempt per se, like the poor homeless that Magnus tried to help every now and then, but like she'd been traveling a long while.  
  
Magnus inhaled quietly, his fingers curling around the edge of the door as he kept his ground in the doorway. She smelled of jasmine and something else that he couldn't put his finger on. "...Yes, and you are?"  
  
"N-Natalie. I... I was told to come here because you, um... You have my baby."  
Magnus couldn't help the blatant look of shock that came across his face before his brows furrowed and he looked back into the apartment, searching for Alec, who must have heard the words because he was headed over to the doorway as well.  
  
"I'm sorry, but we don't have any babies here. You must be mistaken," Alec said as he came to stop beside Magnus.  
  
Magnus inhaled again and he swore he knew that smell, something on her was so familiar and he knew it so well, but his brain wouldn't process what it was. His magic tugged from within, trying to pull what it was and suddenly he felt like a vampire, trying to sniff out what made someone smell the way they did. It would have been humorous to him were his heart not pounding in his chest.  
  
"He isn't a baby, he'd be... Four, almost five. I left him on the church stairs because I didn't know what else to do, and I was told that was a safe place. I've been looking for it for the past month, but I haven't been able to find it again..." She started, looking between the two men as she seemed to curl in on herself, almost as if she was hesitant to finish. "He's... Blue."  
  
Alec felt his heart drop into his stomach as his head whipped to the side to look at Magnus, who looked equally as paled as the woman was. He watched Magnus's Adams apple bob as he swallowed hard, watched his fingers tighten around the door frame.  
  
"How... Did you find this place, may I ask? And hear about me?" Magnus soon asked, his voice quiet and almost steely.  
  
"I...know people. Like you. They told me that his father was a..."  
  
"Demon." Alec finished when her voice tapered off, his arms coming to cross over his chest. "What do you want with him?"  
  
Magnus noticed that Alex purposefully neglected to say Max's name, relief flooding him that they were on the same page- neither wanted to give her that power over knowing their son more than she should have.  
  
"I...I want him back. I know what I did was wrong, but you have to understand that I wasn't expecting a blue baby and I didn't know what to do because I was just 19 and--"  
  
"No." Magnus said firmly, his voice cold.  
  
"I'm... I'm sorry?"  
  
"I said no. You can't have him. Legally he's our son, we have the papers signed and declaring so. You don't get the right to just come back after four or five years and say you want him back."  
  
Alec was shocked at the deeper, colder tone Magnus's voice had taken on, shocked at how his mindset had changed in just a few years when he'd been so uncertain on finding Max, in being a father.  
  
"But I'm his mother." Natalie said as her eyes narrowed, her tone losing that nervousness and gaining a tinge of anger.  
  
"You were his mother. You lost that right when you abandoned him with a note saying, 'Who could ever love it?'. It. You called that beautiful baby an 'It'. What, because he was blue?"  
  
"Because I PANICK--"  
  
"I don't care. You didn't come to ask for help, you came to abandon him like trash. Most people look for help with they panic and you didn't even bother trying. You left him, called him an 'It', and you aren't his mother anymore."  
  
"I--" Natalie started, looking to the silent Alec as if he would help her case, make Magnus reconsider or think about it. Unfortunately for her, Alec was stone faced and looked as thrilled as Magnus was, which, frankly, was not at all.  
  
"It's not possible. We've adopted him, legally, and that's not going to change." Alec words were quiet but firm, though Magnus knew there was a fire raging as equally within him.  
  
"I can go to the police and-"  
  
"And what? You do realize that once a child has been adopted, the biological parent has the hardest time getting them back, right? And you'll plead your case by telling the judge your story about how you left your naturally blue baby on the stairs of an invisible Church to be taken care of people that crowd control demons and people that have magic that come out of their fingertips." Another woman's voice floated from the shadows down the hall.  
  
Magnus shifted enough to look out, seeing Lily emerge from the corner beside the elevator, a small birthday bag in her hand. She would never admit that she liked the kids, but Magnus and Alec both knew that after the Rafe ordeal, all her visits 'just because' was to check up on Rafe and in turn, she loved Max as much.  
  
"You'll sound absolutely insane and the judge will probably just lock you away in a looney-bin." Lily finished as she approached the doorway, offering a smile to Alec and Magnus.  
  
The words had been harsh, but both parents knew it was true and judging by the look on Natalie's face, she knew it as well. With a quick inhale and a forced huff, she turned on her heels and rushed down the hallway to the elevator, leaving the trio to watch her go until they disappeared back into the apartment, the door closing with a firm click of the lock.  
  
\--  
  
".....duérmase pedazo, de mi corazón." Magnus finished the quiet lullaby as his fingers stroked through Rafe's hair, the boys body beside his own as they rested in his bed. Where normally Rafe's eyes would be heavy and the boy soon fast asleep, Magnus noticed that tonight he was still awake and with a worried look on his face.  
  
"Rafe, what's wrong?" Magnus asked as his hand stopped in the boys hair, instead moving to stroke his cheek with his thumb, giving a gentle and soft squeeze to the soft pink mound that was still plump with baby fat, though diminishing.  
  
Rafe was silent as he looked at Magnus before he turned his face away, little white teeth catching his bottom lip in a nervous habit Magnus knew Rafe picked up from him. Magnus frowned at the silence and while he never pushed the kids to tell them things, rather teaching them that they could come to their parents when ready to talk, he'd never seen Rafe look as nervous as this.  
  
"Baby..." Magnus's tone carried the worry despite his attempts to mask it.  
Rafe's words were soft and in Spanish, something Magnus knew he only did when he was upset or scared. "If ... If someone was trying to take Max away from the family, you wouldn't let him, right? He's my brother. He's our family. No one can take him away, right?"  
  
Red flags went off in Magnus's mind at those questions and he swallowed as he forced his body to not tense. Why was this suddenly a question? He'd blocked off the hallway a week back on Max's party, there would have been no way the kids would have heard the conversation.  
  
"Of course not, mi corazón. No one will ever take Max. Not from you, not from me, not from your dad. You know we'd fight for him and protect him, the same way we would fight for and protect you, no matter what." It was hard to muster up the words when his thoughts were going a thousand miles a minute and every single inch of him wanted to be up and in Max's room, as if Rafe's words meant there was someone in there about to snatch up his little blueberry.  
Rafe still had a hint of worry on his face, but Magnus could see the relief in the dark eyes that watched him, trusted him.  
  
"Get some sleep and if you need to, we'll talk more about it tomorrow morning over pancakes, alright?" Painted nails were brushing through Rafe's hair once more, a soft and lingering kiss pressed to the boys forehead as Magnus tried to collect himself, using the contact to ground himself.  
  
"Magnus, what's wrong?" Alec asked from the couch as Magnus walked briskly to Max's door after shutting Rafe's. When Magnus didn't answer, too set in his way, Alec placed the book on the couch and stood to follow him into Max's room. "Babe?"  
  
"Max, baby, wake up, bapa needs to talk to you." Magnus whispered as his fingers curled around Max, gently squeezing the boys arms and sending a small pulse of magic into the blue skin as if trying to assure himself that Max was there and alright. The gentle spark of energy pulsed back to his fingertips, a comfort system they'd established between them to remind each other that everything was okay.  
  
"Nnngh?" The boy groaned as his fists rose to rub at his eyes, his body limp and lazy as he was hefted up into Magnus's arms and cradled to him.  
Alec sat in the now empty space, watching the two as a feeling of dread spread through him, Magnus's vibes and energy off-putting and unlike the ones he'd had when they split to put the boys to sleep.  
  
"Max, are you afraid someone is going to take you away from our family?" Magnus asked, looking down into the blue eyes that were on Alec first, then up to Magnus, clearly startled at the question.  
  
"What?" Alec tensed, his gaze shifting from Max to Magnus as the smile he'd had for the boy dropped from his face. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Rafe asked me if we would ever let someone take Max away from us, and I..." Magnus paused as his magic tugged and a familiar scent hit his nose.  
  
"Magnus--" Alec started, but stopped when Magnus nuzzled into the boys neck like a dog looking for a buried treat.  
  
Despite his alarm, Max couldn't stop the giggle from being tickled by both the nuzzling and Magnus's hair.  
  
"Max, I need you to be honest with me, baby. Have you been talking to a stranger?"  
  
"How is he going to talk to a stranger if he's always with us?" Alec asked, though his gaze soon followed Magnus's to the mirror in the room.  
  
Max was quickly handed over as Magnus moved off the bed and to the mirror, noticing the smell only got stronger as he did. The same smell that had been on Natalie, and the same smell he could suddenly find on Max. Magic leaked from his fingertips as they swiped along the edge, his teeth gritting together as he felt a wave of dark magic pulsing off of the center. "Max, I need to know right now. Has there been someone here?"  
  
Magnus's finger pointed to the middle of the glass, which shattered, confined in a blue cocoon as his magic spread across the surface once Max nodded in confirmation, tears trailing down his face. Magnus muttered something under his breath and soon the frame of the mirror creaked and groaned, curling in and folding on itself until it finally made a pop noise and disappeared into thin air. The magic dispersed through the room, scattering across the walls and along the floor and ceiling as a ward weaved itself in the air, bringing a new level of protection to their apartment.  
  
Alec soothed Max, rocking him and holding him close as the little boy cried, burying his face into Alec's shirt as his fists clenched his father's shirt.  
  
"Bapa's not mad at you, we're just worried," Alec assured, his hand cradling Max's head as he pressed a kiss to the top of the boys head. Magnus took in a deep breath, feeling every bit on edge as he finally moved to sit on the bed with them. "Can you tell us who you were talking to?"  
  
"A-a... blue... man..." Max said between sniffles, rubbing his nose against the soaked area of Alec's shirt, of whom didn't seem to mind at this point. "H-he camed on my buh-buh-birthday an' h-he said that he-heeee's m-my real d-daddy."  
  
Magnus could feel his heart breaking with each struggled word as the boy sobbed them out and he could see Alec's eyes prickling with tears as he tried swallowing and forcing them back.  
  
"What did you tell this man?" Magnus asked slowly, his fingers reaching out to wrap around Max's own little ones, which gripped the longer digits tightly.  
  
"I-I told-ed him that he was l-lying." Max said softly, a hiccup interrupting his words. "I said t-that my daddies w-were you. And he s-said that I had to come with him or he'll... H-he'll hurt daddies and Rafe."  
  
"Max, what is Elyaas?" Magnus was quiet, his fingers clutching the edge of the bed, only continuing once Max responded with 'a demon'. "And do we listen to them when they tell us lies and try to tempt us?"  
  
"N-n-no."  
  
"We both have demon blood in us, Max, you and Bapa. But the demon in the mirror is bad, very very bad. He... He might be your real daddy--"  
  
"Magnus-" Alec sounded alarmed as he looked up at Magnus, thinking they both should discuss explaining Max's parentage to him first, rather than at a time when Max was so upset. Magnus only shot him a look saying 'Trust me' in return and while Alec did trust him, his body language remained on edge.  
  
"He might be your real daddy, since your daddy is a demon. We will never know because we won't let him come scare you anymore. But he's dangerous, Max, all of our daddies are. Your real daddy, my daddy. Especially if we're powerful, like you and I. All they want is our power to make them stronger. That's why I have you talk to Elyaas. This man is the reason why I need to help you grow strong and smart. You're already so, so very smart, but I need to help you learn to be smart against them. Do you understand?"  
  
Max had finally stopped crying, his breathing simply just small hicks of breath as he listened to Magnus, watching him from where he had tried burying himself into Alec's chest. "Uh huh," he said with a small nod and a pout of his lips.  
Magnus offered out his arms and Alec helped Max scramble over, the boy burying his face in Magnus's neck as his arms wound tight around him. Magnus looked to Alec, they both knew they would have to ward the room better than it already was and now both knew they would be more wary around mirrors.  
  
"Max, don't forget, we'll never be mad at you for talking to us," Alec said quietly, rubbing Max's back as his free hand met Magnus's seeking one, their fingers lacing. "We'll always protect you, and if a stranger or anyone ever makes you feel uncomfortable or makes you scared, that's what we're here to protect you from. Ideally we don't want you talking to them in the first place, but..."  
  
A shift at the door had Alec ready to spring up and protect the two, but seeing Rafe peeking in brought him down. His hand reached out in offering to the curly-haired boy, who soon entered the room to take the hand and clamber up onto Alec's lap.  
  
"And Rafe, if you ever are scared for you, or for your brother, please don't be afraid to tell us. We're your daddies and it's our job to make sure you always feel safe." Alec's arms wound around Rafe, holding him close and, for once, the boy didn't seem to protest.  
  
"So...Max isn't going anywhere?" Rafe said hopefully, looking at his little brother, who soon turned his head to look over at Rafe.  
  
"No, Max is staying with us, always, no matter what anyone says, no matter who comes around trying to tear us apart. We're family. Lightwood-Bane's, all of us. Right, Magnus?"  
  
Magnus nodded in agreement, his rings flashing in the light from the small tableside light beside them. "Always, and nothing will change that. Are you... are you happy we're your daddies?" He wasn't sure why he was so hesitant to ask, he would have hoped so after five and three years respectively that they were happy in the home and not hiding anything.  
  
Rafe was immediate to nod, looking quite eager as he said 'Yes'. Max was silent, but his little slim fingers reached up and out, one hand touching Magnus's jaw and the other touching Alec's hand. Both could feel the soft warm pulse that came from his palms and the bright smile to follow eased every worry that Magnus may have had on the issue.  
  
"Happy. I won't talk to strangers. Our daddies, no demons." He said, watching the smile spread across Alec's face, seeing the pride there at his words.  
  
"What do you say we all have a sleepover?" Magnus offered, seeing Max and Rafe perk up. That night they would all share Alec and Magnus's bed, safe and protected, just as promised. 


End file.
